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Opinion
Restoring the True Spirit of Reservations: Why Muslims and Christians Should Be Excluded from ST and OBC Quotas in India
India's reservation system was designed to uplift Hindu castes burdened by centuries of caste-based discrimination, particularly Scheduled Castes (SC) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). However, the inclusion of Muslims and Christians in ST and OBC quotas defies its purpose. These faiths reject caste, yet their communities claim benefits meant for Hindu tribals and backward castes. This erodes the rights of those for whom reservations were created—Dalits and OBC Hindus, enduring historical stigma. Scrapping these inclusions restores fairness, ensuring quotas serve their original intent: justice for caste-affected Hindus, not a faith-based free-for-all. True equity demands this correction.